Device for transferring packages



Feb. 1o, 1970 R RLE'NS'E 3,494,482

l v DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING PACKAGES .4 sheets-sheet 1 Aavclovo @Obert/Le )'LJe Filed Feb. 20, 1968 Il Il llll III'IIIJ. Ill...

R. F. LENSE DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING PACKAGES Feb. 1 0, 1970 .4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20. 1968 Feb 10, 1970 v RQ F. LENsE 3,494,482

DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING PACKAGES Filed Feb. 20,*1'968 .4 sheets-sheqt s x0 l dos Cvromyf Feb. 10, 1970 R. F.L.ENsE

DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING APACKAGES .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb.v 20, 1968 M rar/ Lens e United States Patent Office 3,494,482 Patented Feb. 10, 1970 3,494,482 DEVICE FOR TRANSFERREN'G PACKAGES Robert F. Lense, Rockford, lll., assignor to Riegel Paper Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 20, 1968, Ser. No. 706,902 Int. Cl. B65l1 5/12, 5/ 08 U.S. Cl. 214-1 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE For transferring bags downwardly and laterally from upright positions to horizontal positions, a transfer device includes a swingable arm carrying a suction cup which grips and turns the bags through 180 degrees at the same time the bags are swung downwardly through 90 degrees by the arm. The cup and the gripped bags are turned in response to swinging of the arm by a drive linkage acting to turn the cup through an equal angle for each angle of swinging of the arm thereby to develop more uniform acceleration and deceleration of the bags to avoid slinging the bags away from the cup.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for transferring packages laterally and usually downwardly through a right angle while rotating the packages end-over-end through one-half turn. More particularly, the invention relates to a transfer device of the type including a gripper which engages the sides of successive upright bags advanced along a predetermined path by a packaging machine, and swings the bags downwardly for deposit in horizontal positions on a conveyor spaced below and laterally of the path. During such swinging, the gripper and the engaged bag are turned through an additional 180 degrees to position the gripper above the bags and thus enable release of the bags onto the conveyor. A transfer device operable in this manner is disclosed in Negoro Patent 2,826,881.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary aim of the present invention is to provide a new and improved transfer device of the above character which is operable to deliver the ibags to the conveyor at high speeds with a smoother motion than has been possible heretofore thereby to reduce the danger of the bags being slung away from t-he gripper during the transfer. More specifically, the present device transfers the bags with more uniform acceleration and deceleration and is constructed to turn the bags in such a manner that amplication of the acceleration normally imparted to the bags during swinging is avoided.

A further object of the invention is to provide a more versatile transfer device capable of delivering the bags in horizontal positions to conveyors located at different levels. Another object is to provide a transfer device with which bags of widely varying sizes may be transferred.

The invention also resides in the simplified. geometrical design of the transfer device and in its construction from commercially available standard parts.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE l is a fragmentary front elevation of a packaging machine equipped with a new and improved transfer device embodying the novel features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

IFIG. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the gripper in an adjusted position to transfer bags of a different size.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of parts shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but on a reduced scale and showing the transfer device adjusted to deliver the bags to a higher conveyor.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the transfer device adjusted to deliver the bags to a lower conveyor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the invention is embodied in an automatic packaging machine in which bags 10 with initially open upper ends are advanced edgewise and in upright positions along a predetermined path, are filled with a quantity of product and sealed, and then are transferred from the packager for insertion into cartons. The packaging machine shown herein is similar to that disclosed in the copending application of Kenneth R. Johnson et al., Ser. No. 706,817, ling date Feb. 20, 1968, to which reference may be had for a more detailed description of the construction and operation of the overall machine.

In brief, the various operating mechanisms of the packager are spaced along and mounted on an elongated frame 11 and are actuated in timed relation with one another by a continuously rotated cycle shaft 13 extending parallel to the path of the bags 10. In this specific instance, the bags are advanced intermittently or step-bystep along the path at a rate of about bags per minute with the operations being performed on the bags as the latter dwell between successive steps. As shown in FIG. l, the bags are gripped by and carried from left to right along the path in clamps 14 spaced along an endless conveyor 15 which is indexed periodically through steps of predetermined length by an intermittent drive mechanism 16 driven by the cycle shaft.

Bags 10 placed in the clamps 14 are advanced first beneath a dispenser 17 for lling with a quantity of product and then pass between a pair of heated top sealing bars 19 which shift into engagement with and seal the upper ends of the bags. Thereafter, the clamps are opened by a clamp opening mechanism 20 located downstream from the seal bars, and the bags are removed from the clamps and transferred one-by-one to an endless conveyor 21 which herein delivers the bags to an automatic cartoner (not shown) for inserting the bags in individual cartons, the cartoner conveyor 21 being spaced below and forwardly of the packager conveyor 15.

To deliver the bags 10 to the cartoner conveyor 21, a transfer device 25 located along the forward side of the bag path grips each bag as the clamps 14 are opened, swings the bag laterally and downwardly through a right angle while rotating the bag end-over-end through onehalf turn, and then deposits the bag in a horizontal position on the conveyor. For gripping the bags, the transfer device includes a swingable gripper in the form of a suction cup 26 (FIG. 2) connected to a vacuum pump 27 (FIG. 1) by a conduit 29 and communicating with the pump under the control of an electrically-actuated valve (not shown) from the time the cup swings into gripping engagement with the side of one of the bags in the clamps until the time the cup releases the bag upon completion of the transfer to the cartoner conveyor. As the cup and the gripped bag are swung downwardly and laterally, they are turned through a degree arc so that, upon reaching the conveyor, the cup will be positioned above the bag to release the latter onto the conveyor.

In its primary aspect, the present invention contemplates an extremely simple and versatile transfer device which turns the bags in the above manner while avoiding amplifying the acceleration normally imparted to the bags as the latter are swung to the conveyor so as to effect the transfer with relatively smooth and jerkfree motion and thus reduce the danger of the bags being slung off of the suction cup 26. To these ends, the cup is turned by a novel drive linkage (FIG. 2) which is arranged to rotate the cup through an equal angle for each angle of swinging undertaken by the cup. As a result, each bag is turned uniformly as it is swung downwardly and is not turned or jerked rapidly through a long arc during the initial half of the swing and then turned slowly through a short arc during the nal half of the swing,

Herein, the drive linkage 30 is enclosed within and the suction cup 26 is carried on the free end of an elongated hollow arm 31 which is mounted for back and fourth swinging through a 90 degree arc between a generally upright raised position alongside the packager conveyor 15 (as shown in full in FIG. 2) and a generally horizontal lowered position overlying the cartoner conveyor 21 (as shown in phantom in FIG. 2). Advantageously, the cup is mounted for adjustment to various vertical positions on the arm in order to enable the transfer of bags of widely varying length. For this purpose and when the arm is disposed in its raised position to transfer extremely long bags 10, the suction cup is carried on the lower end portion of a vertical plate 33 (FIG. 2) which is connected to a horizontal rod 34 releasably fastened within a clamp 35 for selective adjustment toward and away from the bags and also for turning about its own axis. The clamp is mounted on the lower end of a vertical rod 36 adjustable up and down in a second clamp 37 which, in turn, is fastened to but adjustable angularly on one end of a shaft 39 journaled for rotation in the upper end of the arm. To transfer bags of intermediate length, the rod 34 is simply rotated within the clamp 35 through one-half turn to rotate the cup 26 from a position below the rod to a position above the rod. Further adjustment may be made by changing the vertical position of the rod 36 in the clamp 37. When transferring extremely short bags 10S, the vertical rod 36 is withdrawn from the clamp 37, is inverted, and is replaced in the clamp as shown in FIG. 3 to position the cup 26 considerably higher than its previous level. With this arrangement, the transfer device may be adapted quickly and easily to handle bags Iwhich vary in length within a wide range.

As mentioned above, each bag 10 gripped by the suction cup 26 is swung downwardly toward the cartoner conveyor 21 by the arm 31 and is turned clockwise relative to the arm through an arc of 180 degrees (as shown in phantom in FIG. 2) in order that the bag will be disposed kin a reverse position below the arm and the cup upon reaching the conveyor. Such simultaneous swinging and turning of the bag is effected with a very small motion through the use of the drive linkage 30 which, in this instance, comprises a chain 40 housed within the arm and trained Iaround sprockets 41 and 43 located at the upper and lower end portions of the arm. The upper sprocket 41 is fast on and rotatable with the inboard end of the shaft 39 while the lower sprocket 43 is stationary and is keyed to a lower shaft 44 (FIG. 4) which is rigidly and non-rotatably fastened to part of the frame 11. The lower shaft 44 projects through bearings 45 which are supported in the lower end portion of the arm to mount the arm for swinging about the shaft between its raised and lowered positions. Swinging of the arm upwardly and downwardly through a 90 degree arc is effected by an ec- :entric 46 (FIG. 1) rotatable with the cycle shaft 13 and Jperable to reciprocate a link or pitman 47 (FIGS. l and 5) connected at its upper end to a crank 49. The crank is fastened to one side of the lower end of the arm 31 and is rotatable on the lower shaft 44.

As the eccentric 46 moves the pitman 47 through its downward stroke to swing the arm 31 counterclockwise about the shaft 44, the lower portion of the chain 40 Walks counterclockwise about the lower stationary sprocket 43 to rotate the upper sprocket 41 and the upper shaft 39 in a clockwise direction. Because the suction cup 26 is rotatable with the upper shaft, the gripped bag 10 is also turned clockwise. The sprockets are sized with a two to one ratio such that, as the arm 31 swings throught a 90 degree arc, the bag is turned through a degree arc about the axis of the shaft 39. As a result, the bag is turned from an upright position on the packager conveyor 15 to a horizontal position disposed on the cartoner conveyor 21 and below the arm 31 as the latter swings through its full arc. Both the swinging and turning motions occur without abrupt jerking since the chain walks smoothly around the lower sprocket 43 and turns the bag through an equal angle about the axis of the shaft 39' for each angle of swinging of the arm about the shaft 44. Thus, the chain turns the bag without amplifying the acceleration and deceleration normally imparted to the bag as a result of the arm being swung in accordance with the harmonic motion produced by the eccentric 46, the pitman 47 and the crank 49. In fact, the changes in speed normally produced in simply swinging the bag are attenuated since the bag, in turning, moves closer to the shaft 44 than otherwise would be the case if the bag were swung downwardly without being turned. Thus, even relatively heavy bags may be transferred without being slung off of the suction cup 26.

If the bags 10 are to be transferred to a cartoner conveyor 21H (FIG. 6) located at a higher level than the conveyor 2l, or to a conveyor 21L (FIG. 7) located at a lower level, the transfer device 25 can be adjusted in a simplified manner to effect the transfer while still gripping the bags until the latter are actually placed on the f conveyor and while still maintaining exactly the same smooth motion as obtained when delivering the bags to the conveyor 21. For this purpose, the pitman 47 is formed as two threadably connected parts 55 and 56 (FIG. 5) which may be adjusted to shorten or lengthen the pitman and thereby cause shifting of the initial upright position of the arm 31 to the left or the right of that shown in full in FIG. 2. The arm still will be swung through a ninety degree arc but lwill move downwardly to a lowered position which is lower or higher than the lowered position shown in FIG. 2 so that the bags can be placed on the lower conveyor 21L (FIG. 7) or the higher conveyor 21H (FIG. 6). In each instance, the motions undertaken by the bag as a result of swinging of the arm 31 and turning of the cup 216 remain the same since only the initial and nal positions of the arm are changed by changing the length of the pitman and since all of the other driving elements remain in the Same geometrical relation as before.

When the arm 31 is adjusted to the left or the right, the rod 34 is adjusted in the opposite direction in the clamp 35 to keep the suction cup 26 positioned directly adjacent the bags 10 on the packager conveyor 15. Also, the clamp 37 is adjusted angularly about the shaft 39 so as to keep the face of the cup in a vertical plane when the raised position of the arm is changed.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the new and improved transfer device 25 of the present invention is capable of transferring bags of widely varying length with jerk-free motion and may be easily adjusted to deliver the bags to differently elevated conveyors 21 Without disturbing the smooth acceleration and deceleration undertaken by the bags. Moreover, the transfer device is geometrically arranged in an extremely simple manner and is of relatively lowcost since the drive linkage 30 for the most part is constructed fro-m standard, commercially available components.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for transferring packages advanced edgewise and in upright positions along a predetermined path, the combination of, a frame, an arm mounted on said frame to swing downwardly about a substantially horizontal axis and through approximately a 90 degree arc from a raised position alongside the path to a lowered position projecting laterally o-f the path, a gripper carried on the free end portion of said arm and engageable with the side of a package in said path `when said arm is disposed in said raised position, a shaft rotatably journaled near the free end portion of said arm and mounting said gripper for turning relative to said arm about a second axis extending parallel to said first axis, a fixed sprocket on said frame and coaxial with said first axis, a rotatable sprocket approximately half the size of said fixed sprocket fast on said shaft and operable when rotated to turn said gripper about said second axis, means connected to said arm for swinging the latter from said raised position to said lowered position thereby to swing d the gripper and the engaged package downwardly, and a chain trained around said sprockets and responsive to swinging to said arm to said lowered position to walk around said fixed sprocket and turn said rotatable sprocket thereby to turn said gripper and the engaged package through approximately a 180 degree arc about said second axis whereby the package is positioned substantially horizontally with the gripper located above the package when said arm reaches said lowered position.

2. In a device for transferring packages advanced edgewise and in upright positions lalong a predetermined path, the combination of, a frame, a first substantially horizontal shaft mounted on said frame, an arm mounted to swing downwardly away from said path about the axis of said shaft and through approximately a 90 degree arc from a raised position alongside the path to a lowered position projecting laterally of the path, a gripper carried on the free end `portion of said arm and engageable with the side of a package in said path when said arm is disposed in said raised position, a second shaft r0- tatably journaled near the free end portion of said arm and mounting said gripper for turning relative to said arm about a second axis extending substantially parallel to said rst axis, means connected to said arm for swinging the latter from said raised position to said lowered position thereby to swing said gripper and the engaged package downwardly, and a drive linkage connected between said shafts and responsive to swinging of said arm to said lowered `position to rotate said second shaft through one half revolution and, for each angle of swinging of said arm, through an angle twice as great to thereby turn the gripper and the engaged package through approximately a 180 degree arc about said second axis whereby the package is positioned substantially CII horizontally 'with the gripper located above the package when said arm reaches said lowered position.

3. A package transferring device as defined in claim 2 in which said drive linkage includes a fixed sprocket fast on said first shaft, a rotatable sprocket approximately half the diameter of said fixed sprocket fast on said second shaft and operable when rotated to turn said gripper about said second axis, and a chain trained around said sprockets and responsive to downward swinging of said arm to walk around said fixed sprocket and turn said rotatable sprocket.

4. A package transferring device as defined in claim 2 in which said means include a link connected to said arm to swing the latter between said raised and lowered positions, said link being adjustable in length to enable adjustment of the arm to various angular positions about said first axis whereby the arm may be located at different distances way from said path when in said raised position.

5. A package transferring device as defined in claim 4 further including means mounting said gripper for angular adjustment on said second shaft whereby the gripper may be maintained in a predetermined Plane regardless of the distance of the arm from said path.

6. A package transferring device as defined in claim 5 including means mounting said gripper on said second shaft for bodily adjustment toward and away from said path whereby the gripper may be adjusted into engagement with a package in the path when said arm is adjusted different distances away from the path.

7. A package transferring device as defined in claim 2 further including an adjustable clamping element mounting said gripper for vertical adjustment relative to said second shaft to enable the gripper to engage the sides of packages of different heights.

8. A package transferring device as defined in claim 7 including a second adjustable clamping element mounting said gripper and said first clamping element for vertical adjustment relative to said second shaft to enable the gripper to engage the sides of packages varying in height beyond the range of adjustment permitted by said first clamping element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1965 Goodell 214-1 2/1966 Spurr 214-1 U.S. Cl. X.R. 

